I have to say I was kinda disappointed in LIVING HELL. I had initially read some reviews in Rue Morgue magazine, and I had high hopes for this film due to the fact that their reviews usually match how I feel about a film pretty closely. I read how "disturbing" and "graphic" this film was, so naturally I was ready for an all-out bloodbath. Unfortunately, LIVING HELL didn't provide on that front. I do have to say that the first half or so of the film was entertaining and had some cool concepts and visuals. The idea of the kid in the wheelchair being unable to defend himself from the two psychos that are torturing him, and also being unable to make anyone else believe him, did amp up the tension factor. But after awhile the story started wearing thin and by the end I think I just didn't really care anymore. All-in-all, not a bad low-budget effort. There is some gore and shocks, just not enough for my taste. 7/10
22 Reviews
A fun ride with some memorable scenes
DVD_Connoisseur31 December 2006
Made in around 9 days, with a budget of just $100,000, this movie is a fun ride. While not being the over-the-top goreathon that I imagined it may be, "Living Hell" certainly contained a number of memorable scenes which are well worth the purchase price.
This film's been compared to "Texas Chainsaw" and "Evil Dead 2"....dangerous comparisons as viewers will expect a hell of a lot and the movie may disappoint.
Keeping plot details to a minimum (I don't want to spoil anything), the film concerns the survivors of a bloodbath seeking accommodation with distant relatives. As soon as the survivors arrive, things start to turn bad, particularly for the relatives' young wheelchair-bound son. His life is about to become a "Living Hell"! Considering the budget of the movie, it's a small miracle that this was shot on film. Thesedays, most low-budget affairs are Digital Video productions and this movie benefits from the more high-budget appearance of film. It's a remarkable achievement and far more impressive, IMHO, than films like "Deadbeat at Dawn" or "Combat Shock".
Worthy of a rental.
This film's been compared to "Texas Chainsaw" and "Evil Dead 2"....dangerous comparisons as viewers will expect a hell of a lot and the movie may disappoint.
Keeping plot details to a minimum (I don't want to spoil anything), the film concerns the survivors of a bloodbath seeking accommodation with distant relatives. As soon as the survivors arrive, things start to turn bad, particularly for the relatives' young wheelchair-bound son. His life is about to become a "Living Hell"! Considering the budget of the movie, it's a small miracle that this was shot on film. Thesedays, most low-budget affairs are Digital Video productions and this movie benefits from the more high-budget appearance of film. It's a remarkable achievement and far more impressive, IMHO, than films like "Deadbeat at Dawn" or "Combat Shock".
Worthy of a rental.
Middle-of-the-road horror
jdollak8 September 2005
I'm writing this long after seeing it. While the movie is unsettling for a stretch of the production, it digresses into what feels like a horror movie cliché. I was expecting a more gradual progression of violence and torture, but it moves very quickly into the heavier stuff.
While the story and ending are clever, I somehow felt almost betrayed by the ending. Yes, it was a nice way of tying things together, but it still felt somehow forced. I felt like it was almost like they were writing, came up with an ending they liked, then had to build on that ending to bring it back together with the rest of the movie.
And the violence in this movie is not nearly as extreme or shocking as it has been made out to be. It is cruelty, but it feels hard to garner much sympathy for the main character, softening the blow considerably.
I'd suggest seeing it if you enjoy Japanese horror, but I couldn't recommend it to anyone else.
While the story and ending are clever, I somehow felt almost betrayed by the ending. Yes, it was a nice way of tying things together, but it still felt somehow forced. I felt like it was almost like they were writing, came up with an ending they liked, then had to build on that ending to bring it back together with the rest of the movie.
And the violence in this movie is not nearly as extreme or shocking as it has been made out to be. It is cruelty, but it feels hard to garner much sympathy for the main character, softening the blow considerably.
I'd suggest seeing it if you enjoy Japanese horror, but I couldn't recommend it to anyone else.
Living Braindamaged
mm9stuff24 August 2004
I love horror movies. Good ones, bad ones, silly ones - I like them all, except when the only plot device requires the characters to all be total idiots.
I picked this up at blockbuster today because I generally find Japan low budget horror films to be better than most. I don't want to tell you readers to skip this one so I'll offer some questions. You can make up your own minds.
Q1: You are a journalist who is investigating a missing mental patient and murderer that the police are looking for. You track down the address of her son. If you'd call the police, you might want to pass on this one. If you'd drive over at night (when you know he's home), sneak in a bathroom window and start wandering around, this movie could be for you.
Q2: You come home and find your brother beaten, bleeding and frightened. Power is out, phones are dead and you know that two evil people are still in the house. Brother says "Go out the window and get help". If you'd get help, skip this. If you think wandering though the house looking for your cell phone is a better idea, have at it.
Q3: You find your cell phone. Dial 911? Not for you. Nope, watch this movie if you think the best action is to now get a flashlight and start looking for that lost first aid kit.
There's a lot more stupid stuff. Watch this film only if you can totally and I mean totally turn off your brain. You won't find a bigger collection of morons until you get to a slapstick comedy.
I picked this up at blockbuster today because I generally find Japan low budget horror films to be better than most. I don't want to tell you readers to skip this one so I'll offer some questions. You can make up your own minds.
Q1: You are a journalist who is investigating a missing mental patient and murderer that the police are looking for. You track down the address of her son. If you'd call the police, you might want to pass on this one. If you'd drive over at night (when you know he's home), sneak in a bathroom window and start wandering around, this movie could be for you.
Q2: You come home and find your brother beaten, bleeding and frightened. Power is out, phones are dead and you know that two evil people are still in the house. Brother says "Go out the window and get help". If you'd get help, skip this. If you think wandering though the house looking for your cell phone is a better idea, have at it.
Q3: You find your cell phone. Dial 911? Not for you. Nope, watch this movie if you think the best action is to now get a flashlight and start looking for that lost first aid kit.
There's a lot more stupid stuff. Watch this film only if you can totally and I mean totally turn off your brain. You won't find a bigger collection of morons until you get to a slapstick comedy.
It's a Living
NoDakTatum26 October 2023
Japanese director Shugo Fujii pays homage to his cinematic idols in this sometimes effective, and often slight, horror flick. The opening scenes show a crazed older woman Chiyo (Yoshiko Shiraishi) and her granddaughter Yuki (Naoko Mori) feeding on a family pet before killing a man and wife. Yuki escapes, and Chiyo is sent to an insane asylum for a year before she vanishes, too. Cut to a normal Japanese suburban family: Father (Hitoshi Suwabe) works in another town, and only comes home on weekends to his three grown children: older brother Ken (Kazuo Yashiro), wheelchair bound middle son Yasu (Hirohito Honda), and cute as a bug's ear daughter Mami (Rumi). The family gets some new house guests in the form of Chiyo and Yuki, who claim to be distant relatives. Everyone is inconvenienced, especially Yasu once the stun gun torture begins.
I cannot delve any deeper into plot points because the twists are impossible to reveal, and sometimes comprehend. Fujii has written a strange concoction of DePalma and Robert Aldrich's "What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?," with shades of the original "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre," but not a whole lot of it makes sense. The cast is very good, if not over the top, especially in the final scenes. I really enjoyed Koji Tabuchi's musical score, it reminded me of early John Carpenter. The film does run rather long, I think a trim would have helped the pacing and suspense. The lack of tension throughout the film is noticeable. Yasu's open mouthed reactions to some relatively tame stuff is unintentionally funny. I could not get a grasp on what Fujii was trying to do. Is this a suspenser along the lines of DePalma's "Sisters," or an out-and-out bloodbath? The film cannot make up its mind, and both sides of the question suffer. There is SOME suspense, and SOME blood, but nothing this jaded reviewer would find particularly scary or revolting.
Fujii's director's commentary is self-effacing and honest, when he was not happy with a shot or sequence, he says so. The film was shot and edited in about two weeks' time, and the budget was around $100,000. This amount would be a lot to any independent film maker, but I remember how expensive it was to live in Japan, and Fujii confirms that everything there is much more expensive than when he used to live and film in the States. "Living Hell" is not a total failure. He is definitely one to keep an eye on. Subversive Cinema wanted to bring a Criterion-type presentation to edgier fare, and I thought that is a spectacular idea- their company logo was the most memorable since MGM's lion first roared. I received a snarky email from the company after I posted this review years ago on another site thanking me for my "rave" review. I emailed back telling them to send a better film next time. They walked back the first email, I never heard from them again, and I think the company folded shortly thereafter although I'm not sure.
I cannot delve any deeper into plot points because the twists are impossible to reveal, and sometimes comprehend. Fujii has written a strange concoction of DePalma and Robert Aldrich's "What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?," with shades of the original "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre," but not a whole lot of it makes sense. The cast is very good, if not over the top, especially in the final scenes. I really enjoyed Koji Tabuchi's musical score, it reminded me of early John Carpenter. The film does run rather long, I think a trim would have helped the pacing and suspense. The lack of tension throughout the film is noticeable. Yasu's open mouthed reactions to some relatively tame stuff is unintentionally funny. I could not get a grasp on what Fujii was trying to do. Is this a suspenser along the lines of DePalma's "Sisters," or an out-and-out bloodbath? The film cannot make up its mind, and both sides of the question suffer. There is SOME suspense, and SOME blood, but nothing this jaded reviewer would find particularly scary or revolting.
Fujii's director's commentary is self-effacing and honest, when he was not happy with a shot or sequence, he says so. The film was shot and edited in about two weeks' time, and the budget was around $100,000. This amount would be a lot to any independent film maker, but I remember how expensive it was to live in Japan, and Fujii confirms that everything there is much more expensive than when he used to live and film in the States. "Living Hell" is not a total failure. He is definitely one to keep an eye on. Subversive Cinema wanted to bring a Criterion-type presentation to edgier fare, and I thought that is a spectacular idea- their company logo was the most memorable since MGM's lion first roared. I received a snarky email from the company after I posted this review years ago on another site thanking me for my "rave" review. I emailed back telling them to send a better film next time. They walked back the first email, I never heard from them again, and I think the company folded shortly thereafter although I'm not sure.
A disappointing mess.
Wetbones18 September 2004
What a huge disappointment this film turned out to be! It's just frustrating to watch as writer/director Shugo Fujii fails to capitalize on all the promise his film help up to the last third. There was something really disturbing about the torture and cruelty in this movie that instantly won me over. The evil old woman and the corpse-like teenaged girl who invade a seemingly normal household are quite freaky and used cleverly and effectively. There's a subplot about a newspaper reporter getting on the trail of the two madwomen that injects a lot of tension into the narrative. But one downright silly climax (that is filled with annoying overacting and megalomaniacal laughter) and about ten unnecessary twists (which make both Shyamalan's antics and the ending of Haute Tension look coherent in comparison) later only a distant memory of the above mentioned virtues remains. A Living Hell could and should have been a modern horror film classic but instead it turned into a disappointing mess.
Unoriginal and cruel Japanese film lacks explanations * outta ****
fudgepax2611 June 2006
In a house 2 brothers and their sister all old enough to live on their own,share the same house that is owned by their father, often away on business trips. One day they take in word that two estranged relatives a 70-year old grandmother and 22-year old granddaughter are coming to stay with them since a year ago the family which they lived in were killed.We meet Yesuhito,an inward and an invalid,whose family members think he might be mentally ill,one day the granddaughter,Yuki and Chiyo the grandmother takes him out for a walk,but sense Yesu only goes out at night is forced and then he begins to get tormented with almost hitting a car or Yuki slaps worms on his lap.(GASP!)Another story we meet is a Reporter who is new in the newspaper business who learns the couple's murder,his boss declines much to his rookiness but then lets him do he then learns something ominous about the granddaughter and daughters.
Shugo Fujii's Living hell starts off promising but the film goes on autopilot when we see poor Yesuhito getting painfully tortured with much harsh cruelty I really wanted to turn it off and eat an apple,this actually went too far from the idea of a crippled kid being helpless and with horrible screaming and it raised no tension,yes this is a well made low budget film made under a thousand what would be dollars even for a film made in 10 days,but the film gives out not too many explanations.
The characters are a bit on the idiot plot device when the boss gives the Reporter someone to check on him,it turns out to be Ken,later when the reporter learns something about him, he doesn't do anything until its too late,or the sister not believing her poor brothers' pleadings who thinks its self-inflicted,"We don't know them well,why would they do that to you?!".Then there's the revelation that made me even really want to turn it off and just have an apple since the last,say 20 minutes is recycled verbatimly and eerily shot like Brian De palma's superior Sisters,yes this is a well made low budget film made under a thousand what would be dollars even for a film made in 10 days,but the film gives out not too many explanations,not even why poor Yesuhito was totured.
I like Japanese,gore and sometimes extreme films but this has no way in being original at all,its nothing like Texas chainsaw masscare,nor evil dead its Sisters only the same. Shugo Fujii probably has gotten me not to like some Japanese horror films and those are his.
Shugo Fujii's Living hell starts off promising but the film goes on autopilot when we see poor Yesuhito getting painfully tortured with much harsh cruelty I really wanted to turn it off and eat an apple,this actually went too far from the idea of a crippled kid being helpless and with horrible screaming and it raised no tension,yes this is a well made low budget film made under a thousand what would be dollars even for a film made in 10 days,but the film gives out not too many explanations.
The characters are a bit on the idiot plot device when the boss gives the Reporter someone to check on him,it turns out to be Ken,later when the reporter learns something about him, he doesn't do anything until its too late,or the sister not believing her poor brothers' pleadings who thinks its self-inflicted,"We don't know them well,why would they do that to you?!".Then there's the revelation that made me even really want to turn it off and just have an apple since the last,say 20 minutes is recycled verbatimly and eerily shot like Brian De palma's superior Sisters,yes this is a well made low budget film made under a thousand what would be dollars even for a film made in 10 days,but the film gives out not too many explanations,not even why poor Yesuhito was totured.
I like Japanese,gore and sometimes extreme films but this has no way in being original at all,its nothing like Texas chainsaw masscare,nor evil dead its Sisters only the same. Shugo Fujii probably has gotten me not to like some Japanese horror films and those are his.
Miscatagorized - this is a Comedy
aefan12 February 2007
Let me say that I am a big fan of Asian horror films. So, when I stumbled across Living Hell used at a video store I grabbed it.
The first 5 minutes make it look like it's going to be at least something creepy and atmospheric. Wrong! It quickly degenerates into a silly mess. I guess the review on the back of the DVD saying John Waters would like it should have tipped me off.
As far as I'm concerned this movie has no business being in the horror category. It's a dark comedy, and that's being kind. The last 2 scenes left me shaking my head wondering how they got anyone to agree to be in this movie.
Bottom line, don't waste your time or money on this.
The first 5 minutes make it look like it's going to be at least something creepy and atmospheric. Wrong! It quickly degenerates into a silly mess. I guess the review on the back of the DVD saying John Waters would like it should have tipped me off.
As far as I'm concerned this movie has no business being in the horror category. It's a dark comedy, and that's being kind. The last 2 scenes left me shaking my head wondering how they got anyone to agree to be in this movie.
Bottom line, don't waste your time or money on this.
No-budge horror at its best
ThrownMuse23 February 2005
Yasu is a depressed wheelchair-bound young man living with his father and siblings. He gets the news that two distant relatives (an old woman who seemingly has Alzheimer's and her 22 year old mute granddaughter) need to move in with them because their immediate family is no longer able to care for them. Upon their arrival, Yasu immediately senses something is wrong with these two strange women. When the rest of the family leaves for work, horrible things start to happen. Is Yasu going crazy or is he stuck in a...drum roll please...living hell?! Filmed in 9 days for around $100,000, "Living Hell" is a perfect example of how great, effective, and well-made a low budget quickie can be if it has the proper talent behind it. The terrific performances range from nuanced to delightfully over-the-top. There is some innovative camera-work, as well as some sequences that are clearly send-ups of more famous directors. This movie has a very gloomy atmosphere, and countless horrifying and disgusting sequences. There are some "jump scares," but the movie does not rely solely upon these. There is also some well-done gore, but (like "Texas Chainsaw Massacre" before it) "less is more" here and it succeeds in being nasty and nauseating.
The writing is clever, with a solid dose of black humor thrown in. The story unfolds at a good pace that lets the audience in on some secrets, but keeps you guessing all the way until the twisted finale. There are plot holes galore that some viewers will be unable to overlook. If you can get past these and just go along for the ride this movie and its wildly wonderful performances want so badly to take you on, it will be well worth it.
There are a few other flaws, including a synth score that sometimes evokes laughter instead of fear. But overall, this is one of the better horror movies I've seen from the recent wave of Japanese horror cinema. And one of the best minuscule budget horror movies of this decade.
The DVD includes 4 short films by the director. The only one I enjoyed was the darkly comedic "Dead Money." There is also a director's commentary that is hit (insisting the movie is more akin to "Whatever Happened to Baby Jane?" than "Texas Chainsaw Massacre") or miss (talking about how he filled Rumi's bra with paper, but her breasts were "still not big enough," with no explanation as to why that was necessary for the character's role.) My Rating: 8/10
The writing is clever, with a solid dose of black humor thrown in. The story unfolds at a good pace that lets the audience in on some secrets, but keeps you guessing all the way until the twisted finale. There are plot holes galore that some viewers will be unable to overlook. If you can get past these and just go along for the ride this movie and its wildly wonderful performances want so badly to take you on, it will be well worth it.
There are a few other flaws, including a synth score that sometimes evokes laughter instead of fear. But overall, this is one of the better horror movies I've seen from the recent wave of Japanese horror cinema. And one of the best minuscule budget horror movies of this decade.
The DVD includes 4 short films by the director. The only one I enjoyed was the darkly comedic "Dead Money." There is also a director's commentary that is hit (insisting the movie is more akin to "Whatever Happened to Baby Jane?" than "Texas Chainsaw Massacre") or miss (talking about how he filled Rumi's bra with paper, but her breasts were "still not big enough," with no explanation as to why that was necessary for the character's role.) My Rating: 8/10
I don't even really see this as a horror movie.
Boba_Fett113824 August 2012
So this movie loves to see itself as a blend of "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre" and movies from the Hammer studios, which is an interesting approach to take for a Japanese genre movie but not really one that works out all too successful.
Thing about this movie is that it just isn't being much good as a horror. For most part of the movie, there is no good tension or mystery in it and when it does feature elements such as that, it doesn't quite work out that well, since the movie just isn't the best made or most convincing one. In the first half of the movie you'll basically have no idea what is going on and during the second half, when everything gets explained and revealed, you simply don't care enough anymore.
It's really a problem that the story just isn't being all that good. Besides, it's hard to follow and messy at times and the story doesn't always makes the best choices. Of course basically all Japanese horror movies have a certain 'weirdness' to them but this movie really pushes it at times and unfortunately goes a bit overboard with it as well at certain points, especially toward its ending, which also doesn't really rhymes with the movie its first half.
Another thing I also disliked about the movie was that it didn't really featured a good and likable enough main character in it. What, just because the main character is in a wheelchair we are supposed to sympathize for him? No, he just doesn't have enough character to him and it doesn't help that he's being mostly mute throughout the entire movie.
The movie is mostly being torture-porn and this is also where most of the movie its horror comes from. If you're looking for gore, this movie still has some moments in it but it isn't the best, since most of it is very random and doesn't really work out as anything shocking or graphic, also mainly because it isn't always being handled that well, or incorporated into the story convincingly. The movie is mostly taking a 'fun' and entertainment type of approach, as opposed to a serious and atmospheric horror kind of approach, which wasn't one of the best choices this movie made, since it pretty much ruins all of the horror aspects about it.
You could say that the movie perhaps tried a bit too hard. Director Shugo Fujii was only 26, at the time he did this movie, so perhaps he let his youthful enthusiasms take over, which blinded him and prevented him from making a truly good and successful genre movie. Or perhaps it was simply being a lack of experience thing. After all, it was only his first full length movie.
I just couldn't ever really like or get into this movie.
4/10
http://bobafett1138.blogspot.com/
Thing about this movie is that it just isn't being much good as a horror. For most part of the movie, there is no good tension or mystery in it and when it does feature elements such as that, it doesn't quite work out that well, since the movie just isn't the best made or most convincing one. In the first half of the movie you'll basically have no idea what is going on and during the second half, when everything gets explained and revealed, you simply don't care enough anymore.
It's really a problem that the story just isn't being all that good. Besides, it's hard to follow and messy at times and the story doesn't always makes the best choices. Of course basically all Japanese horror movies have a certain 'weirdness' to them but this movie really pushes it at times and unfortunately goes a bit overboard with it as well at certain points, especially toward its ending, which also doesn't really rhymes with the movie its first half.
Another thing I also disliked about the movie was that it didn't really featured a good and likable enough main character in it. What, just because the main character is in a wheelchair we are supposed to sympathize for him? No, he just doesn't have enough character to him and it doesn't help that he's being mostly mute throughout the entire movie.
The movie is mostly being torture-porn and this is also where most of the movie its horror comes from. If you're looking for gore, this movie still has some moments in it but it isn't the best, since most of it is very random and doesn't really work out as anything shocking or graphic, also mainly because it isn't always being handled that well, or incorporated into the story convincingly. The movie is mostly taking a 'fun' and entertainment type of approach, as opposed to a serious and atmospheric horror kind of approach, which wasn't one of the best choices this movie made, since it pretty much ruins all of the horror aspects about it.
You could say that the movie perhaps tried a bit too hard. Director Shugo Fujii was only 26, at the time he did this movie, so perhaps he let his youthful enthusiasms take over, which blinded him and prevented him from making a truly good and successful genre movie. Or perhaps it was simply being a lack of experience thing. After all, it was only his first full length movie.
I just couldn't ever really like or get into this movie.
4/10
http://bobafett1138.blogspot.com/
Irritating!
mauvais3 May 2004
I wouldn't waste my time writing about this dumb little movie except for the fact that it hasn't received any negative comments yet, and it well deserves them. You have to respect the effort and enthusiasm that went into making this very low-budget feature (if they spent a penny over $100,000 it certainly doesn't show). The Japanese DVD even comes with (bad) English subtitles, which is a rarety in Japan. Nevertheless, it is one of the worst movies I have seen in recent memory. The story and imagery are very much manga-style, but none of it seems to work onscreen, partly because it is all so repulsively stupid, and partly because the filmmaking is so unskillfully executed. Everything aside, the indescribably irritating performance of the actor playing the whiny wheelchair- bound (mentally retarded?) brother is reason enough NEVER to see this movie.
It surpasses even Satoshi Tsumabuki's performance in the idiotic "Dragonhead," where the plot is repeatedly stalled because he can't seem to stop falling over (I was screaming at my TV...) At least Satoshi (of Waterboys fame) is cute. Iki- Jigoku offers no such rewards for your endurance.
It surpasses even Satoshi Tsumabuki's performance in the idiotic "Dragonhead," where the plot is repeatedly stalled because he can't seem to stop falling over (I was screaming at my TV...) At least Satoshi (of Waterboys fame) is cute. Iki- Jigoku offers no such rewards for your endurance.
A living hell? To watch? No doubt about it!
glyptoteque26 October 2017
Wow, this starts out so good; the beautiful cinematography, the smooth editing, the top of the class acting and last but not least the brilliance that is the soundtrack; tinny and cheaper than cheap, repetitive synth-hell ( What a wonderful, imaginative composer! ). And let's not forget the enormously sinister atmosphere on display here, and the vulgar display of over the top gore, what more could you want? Oh yes of course, a brilliantly written screenplay, a story that makes so much sense that it's almost painful at times. Yep, you surely get it all here, no other Asian horror film can compare with this diamond.
Damn, what an absolute travesty this film was. From start to end it's total amateur hour, there simply isn't a single redeeming aspect to be found here. When other reviewers state that they have "been around the horror block" quite a few times and this is one of the nastiest films they have seen, I just know they haven't even taken a step outside the block. Please don't listen to them, they don't know what they are talking about. This moronic attempt at gory horror is the epitome of tame, in no shape or form did I watch something extreme. This for some inane reason has been compared to the untouchable The Texas Chainsaw Massacre ( 1974 ). Besides not a single horror film of that ilk even coming close to the filthy brilliance of that piece of art, it's doubly blasphemous comparing this feeble whimper to that feral roar of a film. So f off with that! It's of course easy to see exactly which scene this abomination lifted it's inspiration from, it's of course from the penultimate scene in TCM. But whereas the dinner scene in TCM is one of the most unnerving and dread inducing scenes ever put to celluloid, in this film it's just moronic over acting, laughing maniacally in a cringe worthy attempt to be oh so scary. Pathetic.
Summarized then; an abortion of a film, crappy acting, lousy cinematography, non- existent gore and dread, and a story so immensely nonsensical it's truly mind-blowing. If you want extreme Asian horror, watch The Untold Story, Tumbling Doll Of Flesh, Naked Blood, Grotesque and Suicide Club. Avoid this turd at all costs!
Damn, what an absolute travesty this film was. From start to end it's total amateur hour, there simply isn't a single redeeming aspect to be found here. When other reviewers state that they have "been around the horror block" quite a few times and this is one of the nastiest films they have seen, I just know they haven't even taken a step outside the block. Please don't listen to them, they don't know what they are talking about. This moronic attempt at gory horror is the epitome of tame, in no shape or form did I watch something extreme. This for some inane reason has been compared to the untouchable The Texas Chainsaw Massacre ( 1974 ). Besides not a single horror film of that ilk even coming close to the filthy brilliance of that piece of art, it's doubly blasphemous comparing this feeble whimper to that feral roar of a film. So f off with that! It's of course easy to see exactly which scene this abomination lifted it's inspiration from, it's of course from the penultimate scene in TCM. But whereas the dinner scene in TCM is one of the most unnerving and dread inducing scenes ever put to celluloid, in this film it's just moronic over acting, laughing maniacally in a cringe worthy attempt to be oh so scary. Pathetic.
Summarized then; an abortion of a film, crappy acting, lousy cinematography, non- existent gore and dread, and a story so immensely nonsensical it's truly mind-blowing. If you want extreme Asian horror, watch The Untold Story, Tumbling Doll Of Flesh, Naked Blood, Grotesque and Suicide Club. Avoid this turd at all costs!
Show us something, anything
scott_melville24 January 2005
Liking low budget and j-horror, this could not have been more disappointing. What isn't silly is jaw droppingly stupid. And if I want a gory horror film, I want it filled with gory horror, not two or three squibs bitten in someone's mouth. No guts, no stumps, just lots of bug eyed open mouthed gaping. A vile movie concept should produce a vile movie, and this is so tame, it's hard to even imagine it got an R rating. Couple this with the most annoying soundtrack ever created, and there is no reason to watch this, unless you want your TV to actually suffer. Compared to this, dreck like Zombi 3 is a classic, or at least fun.
A sick one not to be missed
videodead200031 October 2001
I've been around the horror block a few hundred times. I've literally seen a few thousand horror films from every corner of the world. I actively seek out the sickest films on earth, and had thought myself hopelessly jaded. Now, for the first time in years, I find myself genuinely shocked. Of the thousands of horror films I've seen, Iki-jigoku ranks in the 10 sickest of them all.
An excruciating examination of cruelty and insanity, this film makes Make Them Die Slowly look like The Jungle Book. A very cringe inducing mother and daughter team, with amazingly reserved glee, torture a wheelchair bound young man in his own (apparently very well soundproofed) home. With each new scene, I would grind my teeth in dread and anticipation as new and more wretched horrors were visited upon our long suffering (and suffering and suffering) hero.
About an hour into the movie, things take a completely insane turn. Humor darker than a cosmic black hole permeates the films decent into total madness.
If this were a lousy film (and lets face it, most horror films are), I would have still been pleasantly appalled. However, this movie was actually GREAT! The cinematography was creative without drawing too much attention to itself, the lighting was damned perfect, and the performances were absolutely believable.
Those who are not truly horror film junkies will undoubtedly not understand, but if you are among the converted, SEE THIS FILM, even if you have to watch some third generation dub like I did (far be it from Americans to release something this bold).
I have just one question: are the Japanese the only people on the face of the earth who can create REAL horror movies anymore?
An excruciating examination of cruelty and insanity, this film makes Make Them Die Slowly look like The Jungle Book. A very cringe inducing mother and daughter team, with amazingly reserved glee, torture a wheelchair bound young man in his own (apparently very well soundproofed) home. With each new scene, I would grind my teeth in dread and anticipation as new and more wretched horrors were visited upon our long suffering (and suffering and suffering) hero.
About an hour into the movie, things take a completely insane turn. Humor darker than a cosmic black hole permeates the films decent into total madness.
If this were a lousy film (and lets face it, most horror films are), I would have still been pleasantly appalled. However, this movie was actually GREAT! The cinematography was creative without drawing too much attention to itself, the lighting was damned perfect, and the performances were absolutely believable.
Those who are not truly horror film junkies will undoubtedly not understand, but if you are among the converted, SEE THIS FILM, even if you have to watch some third generation dub like I did (far be it from Americans to release something this bold).
I have just one question: are the Japanese the only people on the face of the earth who can create REAL horror movies anymore?
A movie that tries so hard, but falls substantially short...
the_noob_pwner3 December 2008
Warning: Spoilers
I grabbed this one online for 2 bucks after reading a few positive reviews here. Reading the comment on the package, "Takashi Miike and John Waters would approve", I thought this would be quite a treat.
After a brief murder scene/investigation, we are introduced to Yasu, a 22 year old in a wheelchair who lives with his older brother and sister. One day, their father arrives in town and tells them about 2 family members (an old woman with Alzheimer's and a 22 year old girl who doesn't talk) who will be staying with the 3 children. Right away, Yasu notices that something isn't quite right about the new additions to the house. He is forced to stay home alone with them while the brother and sister work, and from there things get weird...
The director does a pretty good job at making Yasu feel alienated and somewhat of a burden from his siblings due to being disabled, and you do begin to feel a bit sorry for him. However, he can be rather annoying at times and there are tons of 'drop-jaw' shots of him that are meant to add to the suspense, but come off rather laughably. There are some creepy shots in this movie that do play effectively, but a "Chainsaw Massacre' it IS NOT. Overall, the movie takes almost an additional hour to wrap things up after most viewers will be able to predict what is going on well within the first half of the film.
Worth a few bucks if you can find it cheap. The DVD comes with several short films by the director which are mildly entertaining. BE WARNED: If you are looking for some good gore, look elsewhere. 99% of the violence and gore is done off-screen.
I give it a generous 4/10
After a brief murder scene/investigation, we are introduced to Yasu, a 22 year old in a wheelchair who lives with his older brother and sister. One day, their father arrives in town and tells them about 2 family members (an old woman with Alzheimer's and a 22 year old girl who doesn't talk) who will be staying with the 3 children. Right away, Yasu notices that something isn't quite right about the new additions to the house. He is forced to stay home alone with them while the brother and sister work, and from there things get weird...
The director does a pretty good job at making Yasu feel alienated and somewhat of a burden from his siblings due to being disabled, and you do begin to feel a bit sorry for him. However, he can be rather annoying at times and there are tons of 'drop-jaw' shots of him that are meant to add to the suspense, but come off rather laughably. There are some creepy shots in this movie that do play effectively, but a "Chainsaw Massacre' it IS NOT. Overall, the movie takes almost an additional hour to wrap things up after most viewers will be able to predict what is going on well within the first half of the film.
Worth a few bucks if you can find it cheap. The DVD comes with several short films by the director which are mildly entertaining. BE WARNED: If you are looking for some good gore, look elsewhere. 99% of the violence and gore is done off-screen.
I give it a generous 4/10
this movie is meh/10
xStewieGriffinx18 June 2005
Warning: Spoilers
Let me start off by saying I'm definitely an advocate for movies that make you think. I'm a fan of GOOD Japanese movies and I'm also probably one of the biggest horror movie enthusiasts you'll ever meet. I had just come off watching Ichi and Audition within the week before when I decided to watch this movie. It was a tossup between watching this movie or watching Gokudô kyôfu dai-gekijô (Gozu) so I came to IMDb and read some reviews. Gozu was rated higher but Living Hell wasn't far behind and had some really positive feedback. I don't think Living Hell was one of the worst movies I've ever seen by any means, but it definitely wasn't one of the best. I HATE people who come on here and say "this movie is full of plot holes" because they just don't understand a movie, but in all seriousness this movie is just not put together well. When the big "twist ending" is revealed (which most intelligent people can figure out well before the movie's halfway done) it just doesn't pan out right. I wont put any spoilers in this, but Ill say a couple general purpose comments.
1) Don't let my comments detour you from seeing this movie. Its still worth a once over if you're somewhat interested and have time to kill. Just don't go into it thinking you're going to get something super gory/scary/high quality and you'll be OK. Think of it as a B-rate horror movie and you'll be OK.
2) The soundtrack for this movie IS indeed terrible like some other people have said. Be warned too that one melody in particular will probably get stuck in your head for a good hour after the movie's over and it wont be fun.
3) Don't compare this movie to other Japanese horror films you've seen. Take it for what its worth and judge it on its own. Don't listen to people who compare this movie to others and you'll be OK.
Thats pretty much all there is to it. This movie is by no means anything special and I think its slightly over-rated, but if you want a movie that will semi-entertain you than give it a once over.
1) Don't let my comments detour you from seeing this movie. Its still worth a once over if you're somewhat interested and have time to kill. Just don't go into it thinking you're going to get something super gory/scary/high quality and you'll be OK. Think of it as a B-rate horror movie and you'll be OK.
2) The soundtrack for this movie IS indeed terrible like some other people have said. Be warned too that one melody in particular will probably get stuck in your head for a good hour after the movie's over and it wont be fun.
3) Don't compare this movie to other Japanese horror films you've seen. Take it for what its worth and judge it on its own. Don't listen to people who compare this movie to others and you'll be OK.
Thats pretty much all there is to it. This movie is by no means anything special and I think its slightly over-rated, but if you want a movie that will semi-entertain you than give it a once over.
A modern horror classic
poikkeus15 November 2002
At first, I was a little disappointed by the synth score and what looked to be a low-budget schlocker...but then A LIVING HELL opened up to be a wrenching, well-written horror film that surpasses the landmark TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE on just about every level.
When a Japanese family accepts a pair of relatives into their house -- an old woman and her mute, feral daughter -- no one seems to know the pair's murderous past. It would ruin the fun to reveal much beyond this. Let's just say that the film gradually builds its level of intensity with such raw skill that it's almost unnerving. A LIVING HELL leaves nonsense like EVIL DEAD TRAP at the starting gate.
This one is well worth seeking out through auction and collector's channels.
When a Japanese family accepts a pair of relatives into their house -- an old woman and her mute, feral daughter -- no one seems to know the pair's murderous past. It would ruin the fun to reveal much beyond this. Let's just say that the film gradually builds its level of intensity with such raw skill that it's almost unnerving. A LIVING HELL leaves nonsense like EVIL DEAD TRAP at the starting gate.
This one is well worth seeking out through auction and collector's channels.
Better Check this out!
seesawgame27 March 2001
I'm one of a big fan of this film. This film was made with real low low budget. It was about $100,000(US). That's something really impressed me. DVD has a English subtitle on it. And I heard DVD had been released in Germany also. So you can check it out!!!
Get it if you can find it.
coldwaterpdh28 March 2008
I was lucky enough to come across a copy of "Living Hell" in a record shop, used. I scooped it, not really knowing what to expect, but it looked cool on the cover. I laughed at the goofy tags on the insert...It claimed to be 'a Japanese chainsaw massacre..' Truth be told, I think this movie is almost as good as "The Texas Chain Saw Massacre."
The story is like this: a family of four with a handicapped, wheelchair-bound son, takes in some relatives that have been sort of abandoned. An old lady and a mysterious, ultra-creepy, animal-girl. Things take a turn for the worse and we find that the seemingly innocent old lady is not so innocent, and the animal girl, she's, well...an animal. I won't give anything else away, but I'll say this: I usually don't get creeped out by movies and I've seen my share: "Cannibal Holocaust," "Beyond the Darkness," etc... This one creeped me out. I got a little nervous when "Living Hell" takes a turn for the dark side.
I'd highly recommend this one to people who love Asian horror or gore films. If you can find it...
8 out of 10, kids.
The story is like this: a family of four with a handicapped, wheelchair-bound son, takes in some relatives that have been sort of abandoned. An old lady and a mysterious, ultra-creepy, animal-girl. Things take a turn for the worse and we find that the seemingly innocent old lady is not so innocent, and the animal girl, she's, well...an animal. I won't give anything else away, but I'll say this: I usually don't get creeped out by movies and I've seen my share: "Cannibal Holocaust," "Beyond the Darkness," etc... This one creeped me out. I got a little nervous when "Living Hell" takes a turn for the dark side.
I'd highly recommend this one to people who love Asian horror or gore films. If you can find it...
8 out of 10, kids.
Extremely well made considering budget/time
agentgt12 September 2004
I am a horror film junkie. For a low budget horror movie ... this movie delivered. I still can't believe this movie only had a budget of $100,000 and was made in 9 days. The movie had great cinematography... it had a Hitchcock meets Anime feel to it. My only wish was that the movie should have more gore... (I am always in search for the goriest movie.)
You could tell the director wanted to do more with the film but did not have the resources. If you really feel this movie is a horrible movie, you probably haven't seen many horror movies. Horror movies should be in a league of there own when it comes to rating/critique since they are almost always low budget and are usually the first movies done by fledgling directors.
You could tell the director wanted to do more with the film but did not have the resources. If you really feel this movie is a horrible movie, you probably haven't seen many horror movies. Horror movies should be in a league of there own when it comes to rating/critique since they are almost always low budget and are usually the first movies done by fledgling directors.
A good study on evil and cruelty.
nicomovies13 April 2001
I had the chance to see this film at the 2000 Mar del Plata International Film Festival (in Argentina) and I was one of the very few people that liked it, that found it to be not only extremely funny and entertaining but also quite interesting. Actually, everyone else was at least disgusted by it and practically no one took it seriously; they all saw it as a big bad ugly joke without any interest at all, when in fact it is a joke, but they were laughing for the wrong reasons.
The film is a study on evil, well not quite (a study on evil would be "Halloween"), it is more a study on cruelty. An old lady and a teenage girl (two fantastic and unforgettable characters) come to a house to stay with a family, and throughout most of the film all they do is torture in the meanest of ways a teenage boy who is in a wheelchair.
That's about everything that happens in the movie, but it reaches levels of extreme intensity that immediately connect this film to "The Texas chainsaw massacre" (there is a scene in which some characters go absolutely insane that greatly resembles a scene in the other film) but it's not just an imitation, it has a life of it's own, greatly due to the two female villains who are just amazing. But the people at the festival didn't penetrate the surface of the film and just got stuck with all the blood and guts that cover it, not seeing how intelligent its depiction of insanity really is. It is not a masterpiece, but it definitely is a good film.
The film is a study on evil, well not quite (a study on evil would be "Halloween"), it is more a study on cruelty. An old lady and a teenage girl (two fantastic and unforgettable characters) come to a house to stay with a family, and throughout most of the film all they do is torture in the meanest of ways a teenage boy who is in a wheelchair.
That's about everything that happens in the movie, but it reaches levels of extreme intensity that immediately connect this film to "The Texas chainsaw massacre" (there is a scene in which some characters go absolutely insane that greatly resembles a scene in the other film) but it's not just an imitation, it has a life of it's own, greatly due to the two female villains who are just amazing. But the people at the festival didn't penetrate the surface of the film and just got stuck with all the blood and guts that cover it, not seeing how intelligent its depiction of insanity really is. It is not a masterpiece, but it definitely is a good film.
Living Hell
Michael_Elliott14 March 2008
Living Hell (2000)
** (out of 4)
Yasu (Hurorito Honda) is a troubled twenty-two year old who is confined to a wheelchair due to some sort of anxiety, which has taken over his body. The young man lives with his father, sister and brother but soon two new relatives show up at the house. Chiyo, a senile older woman and her granddaughter strike the young boy as being a bit weird but soon he realizes that they are a lot more than that. Within days of moving in the two women start torturing the boy but no one in the family will believe him because they think this is just an act to get more attention. With no one to believe him Yasu is trapped in the house with the women who go all out to serve their deadly plans.
I went into Living Hell with high expectations but in the end I found myself checking my clock way too much to totally enjoy the film. There are many wonderful ideas floating around in the film but in the end we're left with a pretty empty film without any characters to root for and an ending that's so over the top and ripped from The Texas Chainsaw Massacre that the eeriness the director tries for went way over my head.
The first thirty minutes really kills the film with its boring introduction to the new family, which will soon be stalked by the crazy grandmother and granddaughter. We first see the family gathered around the breakfast table arguing about the new guests that are about to arrive. All this fighting is so incredibly annoying that within minutes you'll be wishing they'd get knocked off right then and there. Also in this time we never really get to know any of the family members, especially the paralyzed boy who is supposed to be the guy we're rooting for throughout the film. What we do get to see of him doesn't make us care too much for him and the wooden performance by Hirohito Honda doesn't help mattes either.
Without anyone to care for I really had a hard time getting into the actual torturing that goes on. I'm quite certain the director wants us to cheer for our young hero yet since he never bothered to let us get to know him then we're left without any real emotions going throughout the film. Another incredibly boring and pointless plot line has a local detective trying to track down the grandmother but this here turns out to be nothing more than filler, which adds an extras thirty-minutes to the running time and doesn't offer us anything interesting. Even without a likable character I was hoping the violence would push this into the entertainment level but that didn't happen either.
I think the film tries to appear a lot meaner than it actually is. Perhaps I'm just a little too jaded but the violence here wasn't really anything we haven't seen before and if you've seen any horror films from Italy then I highly doubt you'll be shocked by this film. In the torture department we see teeth being pulled out, heads beaten with hammers, the young boy used as a dart board and to top it all off we even get to see his private area soaked with water only to have a stun gun put to test. None of this is done overly graphic and the director makes a mistake by keeping the film a bit too clean. With such films like Organ and Men Behind the Sun I'm really not sure what the point of this cleanness was. Perhaps budget problems? Director Shugo Fujii adds some nice touches here and there but the bad editing and constant blackouts really start to get annoying very quickly. The director does a wonderful job trying to set up a doomed atmosphere, which is nicely brought to life by the way the film is lit. Most of the scenes take place with light only coming through windows while other scenes are merely lit by candles. Another nice addition are some wickedly creepy sound effects that come into play throughout the movie. Living Hell is worth a viewing but I can't help but feel it should have been a lot better.
** (out of 4)
Yasu (Hurorito Honda) is a troubled twenty-two year old who is confined to a wheelchair due to some sort of anxiety, which has taken over his body. The young man lives with his father, sister and brother but soon two new relatives show up at the house. Chiyo, a senile older woman and her granddaughter strike the young boy as being a bit weird but soon he realizes that they are a lot more than that. Within days of moving in the two women start torturing the boy but no one in the family will believe him because they think this is just an act to get more attention. With no one to believe him Yasu is trapped in the house with the women who go all out to serve their deadly plans.
I went into Living Hell with high expectations but in the end I found myself checking my clock way too much to totally enjoy the film. There are many wonderful ideas floating around in the film but in the end we're left with a pretty empty film without any characters to root for and an ending that's so over the top and ripped from The Texas Chainsaw Massacre that the eeriness the director tries for went way over my head.
The first thirty minutes really kills the film with its boring introduction to the new family, which will soon be stalked by the crazy grandmother and granddaughter. We first see the family gathered around the breakfast table arguing about the new guests that are about to arrive. All this fighting is so incredibly annoying that within minutes you'll be wishing they'd get knocked off right then and there. Also in this time we never really get to know any of the family members, especially the paralyzed boy who is supposed to be the guy we're rooting for throughout the film. What we do get to see of him doesn't make us care too much for him and the wooden performance by Hirohito Honda doesn't help mattes either.
Without anyone to care for I really had a hard time getting into the actual torturing that goes on. I'm quite certain the director wants us to cheer for our young hero yet since he never bothered to let us get to know him then we're left without any real emotions going throughout the film. Another incredibly boring and pointless plot line has a local detective trying to track down the grandmother but this here turns out to be nothing more than filler, which adds an extras thirty-minutes to the running time and doesn't offer us anything interesting. Even without a likable character I was hoping the violence would push this into the entertainment level but that didn't happen either.
I think the film tries to appear a lot meaner than it actually is. Perhaps I'm just a little too jaded but the violence here wasn't really anything we haven't seen before and if you've seen any horror films from Italy then I highly doubt you'll be shocked by this film. In the torture department we see teeth being pulled out, heads beaten with hammers, the young boy used as a dart board and to top it all off we even get to see his private area soaked with water only to have a stun gun put to test. None of this is done overly graphic and the director makes a mistake by keeping the film a bit too clean. With such films like Organ and Men Behind the Sun I'm really not sure what the point of this cleanness was. Perhaps budget problems? Director Shugo Fujii adds some nice touches here and there but the bad editing and constant blackouts really start to get annoying very quickly. The director does a wonderful job trying to set up a doomed atmosphere, which is nicely brought to life by the way the film is lit. Most of the scenes take place with light only coming through windows while other scenes are merely lit by candles. Another nice addition are some wickedly creepy sound effects that come into play throughout the movie. Living Hell is worth a viewing but I can't help but feel it should have been a lot better.
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